Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a management server for introducing the functions of the image forming apparatus to a terminal device, the terminal device and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium.
Description of Related Art
An image forming apparatus, such as a printer, a multi function peripheral or the like, is used by connecting to a network in an office or the like. In this environment, a user searches the image forming apparatuses on the same network from his/her terminal device, and selects the destination to which a job is input, among a plurality of searched image forming apparatuses.
As the above search result, the list of the names or the IP addresses of the searched image forming apparatuses is displayed on the screen of the user's terminal device. However, in case of the above list, it is difficult to recognize the image forming apparatus having the function which a user wants to use.
From the above circumstance, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-298540, the technology for sorting and indicating the searched image forming apparatuses in accordance with the sorting condition set by a user is disclosed.
Further, it is considered that the function list of each image forming apparatus is displayed in the list of the searched image forming apparatus. However, from the circumstances in which the screen of the terminal device is small, the image forming apparatus has many functions to be displayed, the number of the searched image forming apparatuses is large, and the like, even though the function list is displayed, it is very difficult to view the function list. Therefore, in many cases, the above lists are displayed in phases as follows. Firstly, the list of only the names or the like of the searched image forming apparatuses is displayed. When the selection of one image forming apparatus is received from a user, the function list of the selected image forming apparatus is displayed.
In the function list, because the functions are generally listed in the predetermined order, even though the image forming apparatus to be displayed is changed, the function list in which the similar contents are listed in the same order is displayed. Therefore, it is not easy for a user to grasp the difference in the functions between the image forming apparatuses.
Further, in the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-298540, because it is necessary to set the sorting condition and the like by a user, the troublesome task is caused. Further, in case that a user does not previously know the functions of each image forming apparatus, the user cannot set the sorting condition. For example, even though an image forming apparatus having a special function is provided on the network, it is difficult for a user who does not know the existence of the special function to use the special function by searching the image forming apparatus.